


Vanity

by vampirexchild



Series: More than Just a Dream [1]
Category: My Chemical Romance
Genre: Anal Fingering, Bottom Frank Iero, College, Crossdressing, Crushes, Deepthroating, Facials, Fingerfucking, Friends to Lovers, Goths, M/M, Modeling, Oblivious, Vanity, frank gets around a lot but he's not really a slut, maybe frank wears a thong
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-05
Updated: 2020-03-05
Packaged: 2021-02-28 19:07:04
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,857
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23032195
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vampirexchild/pseuds/vampirexchild
Summary: Gerard tries to focus on completing his project, but it's more difficult than he imagined when the most beautiful person he's ever seen and happens to be falling for is the front and center of it all.
Relationships: Frank Iero/Gerard Way
Series: More than Just a Dream [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1655317
Comments: 6
Kudos: 135





	Vanity

**Author's Note:**

> So, this is a cute little series about a couple I envisioned at random one day. Stay tuned for more if you like this first part!

Some people weren't aware of the impact their beauty had on others. It was endearing obliviousness that fused an adorable aura together with their undeniable beauty. Others, however, knew well of their affect on society, and exactly how to grasp the attention from those they set their sights on, wielding their beauty like lethal weapon of seduction latching onto the ones who never imagined being vulnerable until they were at the mercy of an individual filled with vanity.

Frank Iero was one of the people who exuded an air of confidence, a playful innocence in his eyes twinkling dangerously, the promise of an explosion awaiting inside. His mannerisms were kind and he rarely became abrasive unless he was confronted by an annoyance first, but he could very well become the sharpest human being when it came to getting the things, and people, he wanted. He wasn't hesitant when it came to flirting, capturing the interest of any person he adored in the entrancing web of his glistening eyes, the softness of his smiling lips pierced through with an enticing silver hoop. His social butterfly status made it painfully easy for his unspoken persuasion to run as smoothly as the liquid of his laughter carving a stream through the plains of human existence as a whole.

Frank's magnetic personality meant he was no stranger to maintaining friendships with as many people as he could without feeling he was tearing himself apart to divide his time between one person to another. In the web of friendships stood one of the people who stuck out from the rest, and not only in the chart of friendships Frank kept track of-- Gerard Way. The somewhat popular and strange goth with a camera, attracting swarms of outcasts giving him the look of a different form of popularity he didn't understand himself.

Gerard never fit in during high school until his final year. He was overweight and reserved as he spent his classes doodling in between taking notes, walking across the courtyard and snapping photographs of strange scenery he was gifted at turning into artistic portfolios for the future. His friends were his younger brother and one other quiet classmate who mostly lingered to swap playlists and talk about new issues of comic books they collected.

Before entering senior year, Gerard shed a drastic amount of pounds, bought the wardrobe he was never confident enough to style after he scored a job for the entire summer, and dyed his hair red and black to rid of the mousy brown color he was tired of meeting in the mirror. When he returned in a Christian Death shirt, a studded belt, and rich ruby colored eyeshadow dusted sloppily around his eyes, he became the light the misfits were drawn to, fitting into the era where alternative style was growing in popularity again.

Now, during his third year of university and majoring in photography, Gerard held his reputation, his appearance inviting in those who felt uncomfortable around the overly social people with no interest in the underground music-- and weed supply-- Gerard always kept with him to offer to form new friendships.

Meeting and eventually becoming a part of Frank Iero's life had to have been the most interesting and surprising thing Gerard had ever caught himself up in. Frank was a wildly social and energetic human being whose music taste ranged from gritty punk rock to punching rap vocals spilling out from his dorm when he was either alone or his roommate disappeared, allowing him to invite friends over instead of retreating to the sorority houses again. He dressed in either longsleeves under a ridiculous amount of layered too small shirts with ripped jeans showing off neon green fishnets underneath, or he dressed himself up in dresses Gerard thought he'd only find on grandmothers, yet Frank made them work amazingly well with clashing leather jackets and Doc Marten's with fishnet long socks rolling up his calves. He wore bright pink eyeshadow blended to perfection around his eyes and glossed his lips so they glistened in whichever lighting he was underneath.

Frank never had a problem with making friends, or being invited to every existing party on the planet, it seemed. He was kind in the way he took his companions out and made the effort to become the shoulder they needed to cry on, proving to outsiders that his heart was good despite their initial thoughts on his appearance and notorious streak of flings. Frank was into all things fun, making him nearly the polar opposite of Gerard, yet they got along in many unexpected ways solid enough to keep them attached since the moment they met at a small dorm room gathering consisting of people Gerard knew well. His shock when Frank Iero bounded into the room with a bright pink bong and three bottles of liquor hidden in his backpack was comical enough to pique Frank's interest, and so they got along well as the evening went on, still chattering for hours after their friends blacked out high and pleasantly drunk.

What wasn't so pleasant was Gerard's inevitable crush on Frank, and knowing the feeling was mutual so he heard from a drunken comment Frank made when he showed up at Gerard's dorm in the middle of the night, but he was too cowardly to act on it. He imagined Frank would be the one to make the first move, if either one of them were to budge, but he anxiously stewed over the possibility Frank only had a passing infatuation each day that trickled by, neither one filled with romantic confessions or first kisses sealing an amorous promise. Gerard wondered what was so different about him that made Frank rapidly change his normal patterns to leave Gerard clueless and wanting.

On another hand, there was the possibility that Frank didn't remember confessing in his drunken state. That didn't shake the reputation of his relentlessness; Frank Iero pursued everything and anything he wanted as long as it was reasonable and very within his reach. Did Gerard come off as unreachable or something Frank briefly desired before letting it go?

Gerard didn't have the time to worry about relationships with beautiful boys who once fancied him, not as a project for his photography class loomed over his head. The assignment was to capture portraits of a person modeling for the camera, snapping the images in a way where the essence of the person could be felt through the affects and the angles. Gerard was never as professional with photographing models as he was photographing inanimate objects and scenery he deemed had enough potential to create something beautiful out of.

Sitting on a bench in front of the building hosting his class he'd just wrapped up for the day, he fiddling with the studded bracelets wrapping around his wrists, tugging the material of his black jacket over his hands when he decided he'd rather not ruin his accessories only because he worried for his grade. How the hell was he to know how to capture a person's essence through a photograph? There wasn't much to tell in a person if their personality differed vastly from their looks. In Gerard's case, every possible person he could think of wouldn't suit the project for that exact reason, leaving him running up a wall each time he tried to find a solution.

It wasn't until Gerard looked up and saw a group consisting of Frank's friends strolling to the campus cafe did he become struck by a god sent solution. The jolt of realization stronger than the electric strike of lighting sent him jumping up to his feet, quickly slinging his backpack and camera back over his shoulders and jogging towards the dorm buildings the person he needed to speak to resided in.

When Gerard finally stood outside the room Frank lived in with his bookish roommate Ray, he was panting heavily from running all the way across campus and through the hallways to get to his destination. He patted his flushed cheeks and took in a few deep breaths, raking a hand through his hair and praying his dark eyeshadow and mascara hadn't smeared under his eyes. He popped a mint from the small container of Tic Tacs in his pocket, shaking off his nerves and all thoughts of attraction to seem somewhat professional. He raised his fist and knocked on the door just lightly enough to save it from being a demanding pound. He shook his whole body and took in one more deep breath before Frank answered the door.

When the door swung open, Frank appeared, showing far more skin than Gerard expected. His oversized Circle Jerks hood reached his mid-thigh and revealed he wasn't wearing any bottoms to cover up with, unless one single waxing strip pasted onto his lower shin counted. He stood oddly balanced on his heels, and it wasn't until Gerard managed to tear his wide eyes away from Frank's legs did he notice he was holding a bottle of hot pink nail polish in his hand. His toes and fingers glistened with the exact color, contrasting with his paler toned skin and black hair shaved at the sides.

"Uh." Gerard stammered. "Did I come at a bad time?"

Frank broke into a wide grin crinkling the corners of his sparkling eyes void of any cosmetics. His dark fringe curled around his cheek, still damp from a shower, and the smell of something tropical wafted underneath Gerard's nose so pleasantly that he almost leaned in to inhale more of it.

"Nope." Frank popped the 'p' in his word. "It's self care day. Don't mind me. Come on in, Gerard." Frank awkwardly waddled away from the door, holding his arms out to keep his balance, and he flopped back onto his unmade bed. Anti-Flag burst clearly through his phone resting on his desk and he started bobbing his head along to it once he was settled and Gerard walked in after shutting the door behind him.

Noticing Ray was gone, Gerard pursed his lips, feeling a bit more nervous than before. He sank down onto Frank's desk chair and tried to be discreet with his staring as he watched Frank pinch the corner of his waxing strip with a look of concentration scrunching his face.

He ripped it off suddenly with a cry of, "Motherfucker!"

Gerard cringed away from the pain in Frank's voice and the lethal noise of Frank's waxing strip tearing the hair away from his legs. "Why don't you just shave it off instead?"

"Fuck shaving. I always slice myself up somehow. Waxing does a better job at getting all of the hair off anyway." Frank rubbed at his raw skin with a wince, then grabbed a wet cloth soaking in a bowl on the ground, wringing it out to gingerly wipe at his skin.

"I know you didn't come here to watch me wax my legs." Frank looked up with a soft smile, tilting his head to the side. "What's up, Mr. Photographer?"

Gerard's eyes darted to his camera secured in its case and back at Frank. He struggled to keep his eyes trained on his face and not his slightly parted legs stretched out on the bed, his hood having crawled entirely up his thighs. Gerard swore he caught another flash of neon pink along the way that most definitely didn't come from his nails.

"Well . . . it's kind of rude to barge in here and not ask how you're doing first." Gerard blushed. "How are you?"

Frank smiled fondly at him, eliciting a flutter deep in Gerard's chest. "That's cute. I'm doing fine, even though my legs sting. Class ended earlier this morning than usual, so I had time to paint both my nails and my toenails. How are you?"

Gerard nodded, although he didn't have anything to agree with or say yes to. "I like the color. Um, I'm alright. Class just ended for me. We have a whole new project coming up."

"Sounds exciting." Frank wriggled his toes while adding another coat of polish. "Unless, y'know, it's a seven page essay. I have to do that for my psychology course."

"Oh, I can help you with that." Gerard's focus was side-tracked for a moment. "I like writing essays. My friends think I'm a freak for that, but I help them a lot."

"You're so fuckin' cute." Frank slowly shook his head with a grin. "It's okay, you have your own project to do. My professor expects my stellar essays, he'd notice if the writing style changed. I don't mean to brag, but I'm pretty great at essays."

"I don't doubt it." Gerard smiled slightly, flattered by Frank's previous compliment. "I've been told the same."

"What's your project all about?" Frank screwed the top to the nail polish bottle back on and rested it on the desk, scooting to the further end of the bed to settle closer to where Gerard was seated. He crossed his legs carefully, flashing another peek of bright pink now that his legs were entirely open. Gerard quickly looked away, breathless for a moment.

At Frank's question, he was reminded of the reason why he visited Frank's dorm in the first place. "Right, I actually wanted to ask you for a favor. It's about my project."

Frank raised his eyebrows. "Should I know what it is before I say yes?"

"I guess so. My professor wants me to do a photoshoot of a person in a way that will really capture their essence, kind of like dishing their personality out in the method of editing and all that."

"Let me guess." Frank excitedly drummed his fingers on his knees. "You want me to be your model."

Gerard smiled awkwardly. "Only if you're okay with that. I think you're the only person I could get it right with."

"Aww." Frank drew out his term for showing how flattered he felt. He leaned across the bed and stamped a big kiss of Gerard's cheek, eliciting a scarlet blush from him once he moved away.

"Of course I'll do it. I can dress up and get all pretty for you." Frank bounded to his feet and stood in front of Gerard, resting his hands on his hips. "You know what? Let's do it now."

Gerard's eyes flew open wide. "Now?"

"Now." Frank nodded and grinned confidently. "Come on, we can do it here. Ray has plans straight after class with his girlfriend, so he won't be back until way later. You need to capture my essence, don't you?" He gestured to his unruly bed, the random bottles of polish spread all across the duvet from when he was selecting a color along with his other personal belongings scattered along his side of the room.

Gerard wasn't mentally prepared for facing the project so soon, but something about the excitement brightening Frank's hazel eyes kept him from daring to say no and watch the look he adored melt away into a mask of disappointment.

"Okay." Gerard accepted hesitantly. "I need to grab a couple of things to set up first."

"Give me a forty minutes. I'll blow your mind." Frank winked before practically shoving Gerard out of the room after he'd given him a chance to gather all of his belongings.

Breathlessly, Gerard returned to his empty dorm, mentally bracing himself for what was to come. He wasn't sure what to expect when he returned to Frank's room, what beauty he'd be met with that would surely drive him slightly insane as he did all he could to keep from laying his lips on Frank's so passionately that the world around them would cease to exist in an array of fireworks dancing across the universe. He hoped that afternoon would stay strictly formal for the project, and for the sake of Gerard's emotions, because he was beginning to believe he couldn't handle it if he was only another passing adventure for Frank to sink his hooks into.

Pretty boys were identical to a curse in some ways.

_____

When Gerard arrived at Frank's dorm once again with all of his needed materials and after the forty minute mark Frank requested, he was more wired up with nerves than he ever had been before when it came to spending time with possibly the most attractive specimen Gerard had ever met. He'd brushed hastily through his dark hair and retouched his eyeshadow, even going so far as to brush his teeth twice and reapply deodorant under his arms. He decided not to make his endeavor to appear as presentable as possible obvious by spraying his favorite cologne. He knew it would rise suspicion in Frank since he rarely wore it.

Tentatively, Gerard knocked on the door. From the inside, Frank informed him that it was unlocked and he could step inside. Gerard bit his lower lip tasting like the peppermint chapstick he'd rubbed over his lips and caught the door handle to twist the door open.

"Hey." Gerard cleared his throat as he entered the room.

"Hi again." Frank's voice rose from somewhere on his side of the room towards the closet, Gerard assumed.

Unprepared to look at Frank just yet, Gerard set his things down by the desk where there was most room for the objects to fit for the time being. He found Frank had made his bed and organized the colorful pillows in a neat pile at the top of the bed. His polish bottles and various makeup tools were scattered towards the edge, along with his phone and a tattoo magazine with the pages opened to display the flaming skull filled with roses inked onto a woman's upper back. A dress was draped across the bed post, the floral design instantly recognizable as Gerard took a second glance.

"Did you set this up?" Gerard asked as he ran a hand over the dress.

"I did. Those things sort of sum me up, don't you think?"

"They do. Especially the dress." Gerard smiled faintly. "Hey, I really appreciate you doing this. I meant it when I said you're really the only person who could get the job done."

"Shut up, you're too sweet. I'm honored to be your model for a day." Frank's light giggle traveled to Gerard and widened his smile already gently present on his lips.

"You're pretty photogenic, so that already helps. I was thinking we could do a few shots outside, maybe? During sunset? That's when everything gets all golden and it's beautiful."

"Would that suit this project?"

"I don't see why not. We can always scrap it if we decide it doesn't go with whatever we take first." Gerard, without thinking about it, glanced up and scanned the room for his eyes to land on Frank standing in front of the full length mirror hooked onto the closet door. His brain didn't absorb what he was taking in until he came to a stammering halt during the middle of sentence about aesthetics.

Frank examined himself in the mirror, content with his image and listening to Gerard ramble about photography. He was wrapped in a black corset dress cinching in his waist to give the illusion of curves, the pink laces going through the hooks in the back and lacing up at front just below the breast line he couldn't fill out since he was all flat and smooth planes. The sweetheart neckline supported the thin straps holding the dress up, covering up what would've been bared skin with a dark lace cardigan rolling down to his wrists adorned in silver charm bracelets-- he'd collected charm bracelets throughout the years, he once shared with Gerard, and kept them all inside a jewelry box that belonged to his mother when she was teen. His legs were bare and hairless, bent slightly at the knees as he posed in the mirror, eyes roaming across the flared out skirt of the black dress. His eyes were smoked with dark shadow and little eyeliner hearts were delicately inked onto his cheekbones. The gorgeous eyes shrouded in black to pop out the honeyed green hazel inside flickered briefly over to Gerard, so he knew Gerard was staring, but his gaze quickly retreated to focus on himself instead.

Frank reached for the tube of lip gloss resting on the dresser tucked inside the wide closet. His lips already glistened slightly, but he'd decided he wanted the sheen to become more noticeable. Gerard couldn't look away; he was paralyzed.

Frank's glossed lips parted as a fresh layer was spread onto the previous coat that began to absorb into the soft pinkness of his lips. The tint of cherry red brightened their color and the mouth-watering drag of the tube smoothing across his lower lip left Gerard's throat closing up, all talk of photography disintegrating on the tip of his tongue. The color was new, sparkles enhanced the plumpness of his unique lips unlike the bubblegum pink shade the other capsule he'd used contained. Frank's eyes met Gerard's in the vanity mirror — jesus, he knew exactly what he was doing. Frank was the type of person who could take advantage of his attractiveness or he could remain completely oblivious to the adoration his beauty brought him. In a moment such as this, he grasped it from the root and wielded it as a weapon. Frank knew the affect he had, and now, just as Gerard had been prepared to give up, Frank was finally doing what he could to make Gerard crumble whether he was conscious of it or not.

Frank screwed the lid back onto the tube of gloss and set it back onto the dresser with the rest of the cosmetics scattered around, rubbing his lips together and tugging lightly on his lip ring. Leaning forward, he puckered his lips, eyes trained on Gerard until they fluttered shut. He pressed his lips against the smooth mirror underneath the rest of the lipstick stamps he'd left there for a decorative sort of test to see which color he'd choose that day, if he thought it was pretty enough to suit him. He could choose any shade, Gerard wouldn't mind, his lips without a single layer of cosmetics immediately earned every inch of longing he could muster.

When he pulled away, his eyes fluttered open again, and he examined the color for a good moment, as though he was truly seeing if the color was right.

"Do you think this matches?" Frank turned around and gestured to his lips.

Gerard's heart dropped into his gut. He stuttered, tearing his eyes away and blinking -- when had his eyes gotten so dry? Had he forgotten to blink the entire time he was staring at Frank?

"Yeah, it -- it matches." Gerard nodded jerkily. "It's pretty."

"I bought it a few days ago. It's brand new." Frank glanced at himself in the mirror over his shoulder and gave a satisfied smile. "I like it."

"Mhm . . ." Gerard cleared his throat and willed his eyes to rest on anything other than Frank's body. "So, are you -- are you finished up?"

"I think so." Frank gave a little twirl as he closed in on the bed. He plopped down onto the squeaky mattress, crossing one leg over the other and tossing a small smile in Gerard's direction. "Are you gonna turn me into one of your French girls?"

Gerard politely averted his eyes as Frank very obviously reached underneath his skirt to fix what might've been the sliding waistband of his underwear, the snap of it against his skin was audible when he was finished.

God almighty.

"I'm not a painter." Gerard began setting up for their photo session.

"And I'm not naked." Frank clicked his tongue. "Yet."

Gerard jerked in shock at Frank's words as he was bent over digging for the filter lenses inside of the bag. He banged his head on the bedpost, sending a dull throb through the side of his head he immediately cradled with a groan.

"I was kidding!" Frank sprang up from the bed to stand beside Gerard's hunched form. He touched his shoulder gently and bent forwards so their faces were close together. His was scrunched with concern. "Are you okay, sweetheart?"

"I -- I'm fine." Gerard moved away so he wasn't so close to Frank. "I didn't hit it that hard. Sorry to worry you, you just. You sounded serious."

"Well, I don't think you want to hand in nude pictures of me to your professor." Frank tucked his curling fringe behind his ear and appeared, for the first time, sheepish.

"Totally not." Gerard shook his head, ignoring the distinct throbbing that lingered where he'd struck it. "Let's forget about that. I'm gonna set up my camera."

Frank slowly sat back down on the bed to wait. As Gerard fiddled with the lenses and the settings on the camera, he felt Frank's gaze trained on him, and the times his own flickered upwards and happened to catch it, there was deep thought in them that startled him a little each time. He wondered what he did that compelled Frank to have something significant enough in his thoughts to bring that sort of look forward. It must've been curiosity, Gerard concluded, since Frank had never wielded a professional camera that wasn't the one installed into his phone.

Once he was set up, Gerard held the camera in his hands and looked to Frank. "That's all done. Now I just need to go through a few poses with you."

"Oh, I was thinking about that." Frank shuffled back on the bed. "Do you want me to act natural or do something a little more dramatic?"

"Let's get a shot of you looking at the camera first. Just relax, don't let your body get all stiff. You don't need to smile, I'm using softer filters so maybe a serious expression would look nice." Gerard took a step back.

Frank composed himself as instructed, his fringe tumbling free to curl around his jawline in a swooping motion he immediately went to fix.

"Leave it like that." Gerard said softly.

Frank's hand twitched in the air, but he lowered it. He lost all tension and looked serenely into the camera, the light streaming in through the window reflecting on the glossy film at his plump lips. He was a perfect vision, gentle eyes the color of spring and soft skin glowing with a healthy flush of pink in his cheeks and lips. Gerard snapped the picture.

"That one is done." Gerard drew the camera way from his face. "I think, for the next shot, we should have something more natural, like you're oblivious to the camera."

"Oh, I know what I can do." Frank bounced on the mattress once. He flipped over, kicking his legs towards the pillows and reaching for the magazine on the edge of the bed once he was resting on his front. He fixed the skirt of his dress creeping high up the backs of his thighs before he dragged the magazine resting on the duvet in front of him, crossing his ankles in the air and mimicking a normal position he'd find himself in on an ordinary day.

"That's perfect." Gerard moved into a position where he could capture the image perfectly. Frank remained still as Gerard snapped a few photos at different angles to pick from later, testing two different filters.

"You're a natural at this." Gerard complimented Frank who rose from his position once Gerard was finished.

"I always had a hunch I could be a pretty great model." Frank swung his legs over the side of the bed. "I don't think that's the life for me. I want to help people."

"That's an amazing thing." Gerard lingered near the bed post.

"I think photography kicks ass more than being a therapist." Frank smirked. "You're fucking hot with a camera."

Gerard face flushed with blood glowing hotly behind his skin. He fiddled with the camera for a moment, ignoring the way Frank's lower lip was being drawn between his teeth.

"I can't take compliments well." Gerard chuckled awkwardly. "Um, but back to the project."

Despite Frank's clear efforts to flirt throughout the entirety of the project and Gerard's uncertainty on how to take it or reciprocate, they managed to fuse together the visions in their mind and capture some of the most enchanting photographs Gerard had ever taken. There was an alluring element to the air of confidence and the beauty in Frank's body molded into the shape of perfection in the dress he picked, but the sexuality wasn't so raw that it was blatantly inappropriate, especially considering most of the poses were normal positions Frank found himself in on the daily. They consisted of Frank resting on the bed with his head against a mountain of pillow as he gazed into the camera, one of Frank applying more gloss followed by a shot of him pouting his lips at his reflection, another of Frank positioned in the desk chair with his feet propped up onto the edge of the bed, holding a sterling silver charm bracelet up to the light so it reflected across the delicate charms danging from the elegant jewelry. All mundane, yet incredibly intimate in the shots and the close looks into the every day life of a beautiful young boy with aspirations and kindness in his heart, paving his way through the lives of many in a way that would become memorable even in twenty year's time.

The most ethereal of all pictures, Gerard decided, was the one chasing the breath from his lungs, seizing his heart with the demanding vice grip of nerves.

"I don't want to make you uncomfortable," Gerard started, scratching the back of his head. "There's just this one shot I wanted to do that kind of . . . requires a compromising position."

Frank lifted his head from where he'd been resting it on his pillows from the previous photo they'd taken. His eyes brightened with intrigue. "Compromising?"

"Yeah. Well, you'd be on your back, and I'd sort of have to . . . kneel slightly on top of you." Gerard swallowed. "I wouldn't be on you. It's just a perspective shot. You'd be looking up at the camera."

"Oh!" Frank sat up. "I don't care. We're not strangers, you know." He smiled reassuringly.

"I know we aren't. I just wanted to get your input on it first." Gerard shakily sighed. "Okay. Just rest on your back, I'll tell you how to position your arms once I . . . yeah. Maybe the cardigan can, um, come off."

"I get the feeling you're more nervous than you need to be." Frank fondly chuckled and quickly shrugged the cardigan from his shoulders. He sank onto his back, wriggling around until he was comfortable enough to melt into the mattress peacefully.

Gerard didn't respond to indulge Frank with confirmation to his inkling. He sucked up all of the anxious knots linking together in his gut and reminded himself to be professional or else he'd never get anywhere with his career. Putting on his working face, Gerard shuffled onto the bed, and rose up onto his knees. The bed squeaked from his weight pressing down on the mattress, more so as he worked his way to Frank who rested there, his hands folded loosely on his stomach.

Their eyes met and stayed attached to one another as Gerard moved. He attempted to position himself in a way where he wouldn't be caught at an awkward angle, but the lens defied him. An understanding passed between them. Frank parted his legs, smiling faintly as consent for Gerard to slide one knee through the gap between his thighs. Gerard slightly shakily planted his knee there, ignoring the touch of awkwardness in the tangle of legs, the slide of Frank's smooth skin on Gerard's jeans.

"Put your hand like . . ." Gerard glanced down at Frank's hands. Deciding it would be better and quicker to do it himself, he gently wrapped his fingers around Frank's surprisingly delicate wrist, lifting his hand and moving his arm into a comfortable position for his loosely curled hand to rest at his collarbone. Frank beamed once he was in position, rubbing the gloss around his lips for a second.

The stunning beauty Gerard witnessed once he held to camera to Frank's face left him with a pause ensnaring his ability to snap the photo. The gentleness in Frank's expression wasn't for the camera, but for Gerard. The soft curve of his smiling lips captured the glow from the sunlight outside that also streaked across the lakes of his caramel apple eyes, similar to such a sweet treat from the kindness swirling through the golden green ringing through his pupils surrounded by the embrace of chocolate brown. The sweep of his hair slipped away from where it once framed his sculpted jawline, instead pooling nearby him, deep black contrasting with the thick white duvet dotted with pink polka dots bringing out the color in the laces holding his corset together. The shadows shrouded around the shape of his small, rounded nose and his thin eyebrows almost perfectly shaped above his eyes. He was the most beautiful person there was to see.

Gerard gathered the will to finally snap the photograph. It existed in his camera bathed in golden tones seeping a heavenly film into the image. He was amazed by how vividly the lens captured the beauty of his gleaming eyes and the shine of the gloss at his lips, promising passionate kisses tasting of synthetic berries filling in the already pink color flushing his lips deeply. Gerard didn't understand why Frank thought he needed to fill in his lips with cosmetics when they were always stained by the kiss of strawberries. Effortlessly enticing.

Gerard tore his eyes away from the camera and focused on the real masterpiece laid out in front of him. Practically underneath him, he noted, giving a kick of something hot in his stomach. He wasn't completely drunken by lust, if he was mistaken once before. He wanted to know why Frank gazed at him so softly sometimes the way he did now, and why he couldn't be one of the people Frank sought out. It almost made him feel unwanted, but he suspected it wasn't necessarily what he thought it was now that Frank was moving his hand, hesitantly dragging his knuckles along the seam in his jeans at the outside of Gerard's thigh.

Gerard tensed under the touch. He didn't want to move away or tear his eyes away from Frank's face, watching how Frank was biting gently down on his lip again and suckling the honeyed glaze of lip gloss from his pouted lips.

"I know you want to kiss me." Frank whispered. "I wish you'd just do it."

There were too many things unfolding at once for Gerard to feel embarrassed or afraid of consequences he'd wrap himself up in if he got involved with someone known for having flings and only flings. He quickly decided it wouldn't hurt as bad as never knowing what Frank's lips tasted and felt like.

Gerard discarded his camera as quickly as he could with fumbling hands. He barely had enough air in his lungs as he leaned forward and down, hungrily pressing his lips onto the pair tempting him since the very beginning. The tackiness of gloss didn't take away from the pliancy and Frank's immediate response to the kiss. He let out a desperate little noise and breathed out through his nose, reaching up to cup his hands loosely around Gerard's neck. Gerard almost went numb from the rush of blood moving all through his body, unsure of whether to move to his face or between his legs, because the taste of lip gloss and the eagerness of Frank's lips spreading apart to start moving their mouths together was almost more than he could bear. He slid closer in, his thigh slipping dangerously further up between Frank's open legs. Frank's hands slipped into his hair and gave a pleasing little tug eliciting a soft groan from Gerard. His squeezed his eyes shut tighter with bliss, stroking the side of Frank's face.

Expecting Frank to be good at kissing didn't prepare Gerard for just how phenomenal he was at it. His lips moved so fluidly, he knew exactly which direction to tilt his head and just how much tongue balanced the weight of overwhelming and a painful lack of it. He coaxed the perfect rhythm between their mouths and Gerard was melting into it, sinking into the taste, the texture, even the sound he detested to hear from the moving lips of other passionate couples he encountered. Frank would breathlessly moan in between, charging Gerard's blood with a fiery kick streaming into his groin. He couldn't help being affected so quickly by Frank's expert lips moving against his like he needed his kiss, he'd ached for it for so long he thought he'd combust if he went another day without experiencing it.

Gerard thigh had continued slipping up without him fully noticing. He was so absorbed in Frank's kiss and the sensation of his fingers tousling his hair that he was stunned by the heat his knee came in contact with, the sharp gasp bubbling between Frank's lips and the little kick his hips gave.

Frank pulled away from Gerard's lips with a soft sound. "Please. I love that so much."

"This?" Gerard experimentally rubbed his thigh against Frank's growing bulge he couldn't appreciate as deeply a short moment ago, drunken on everything else drowning his senses.

"Fuck," Frank drawled out, his lips parting and his eyes shutting. "I can't explain why that's so good. It just is." He stroked Gerard's neck, his hands traveling higher to send his thumbs rubbing over Gerard's jaw that was rounder in comparison to the sharp angle of Frank's.

"You're . . ." Gerard said breathlessly after he finally looked down between Frank's legs, discovering his skirt creeping up with every rocking motion of his hips. Shock spilled through him. "Are you wearing a thong?"

Frank's eyes opened slowly. A smirk fixed at his lips reddened by fervent kissing. "You wanna see it?"

Gerard's mouth went dry. He didn't reply, but he supposed his answer was obvious in his eyes raking all across Frank's body, enough to encourage Frank to grasp the end of his black dress and lift it high on his hips. Surely enough, the evidence to Gerard's theory was presented in the form of neon pink underwear with rose designs stitched across the delicate fabric in lace material. Although Gerard could tell they'd been designed to hold men in, Frank's cock was visible through the thin scrap of fabric running thin at the sides and even thinner in the back that wasn't perceptible to Gerard. He was slowly growing hard, stretching the lovely fabric out.

"Do you always wear things like this?" Gerard wasn't sure if he should skim his fingertips along the waistband the way his body urged him to.

"Not all the time, but I like it a lot." Frank took the liberty of brushing his hand across the thong and himself, drawing a shudder from him. "It feels good. Especially when I'm hard." Frank shakily breathed out, skimming his palm across his front.

Gerard moaned softly at the sight of Frank practically touching himself no matter how soft the contact was. The ghosting touches still made his body tense and writhe the smallest amount, soft sighs of pleasure moving through his parted lips.

Fascinated, Gerard batted Frank's hand away. He replaced it with his own to shed the remains of his hesitation, realizing Frank wanted this as deeply as he did. His fingertips were gentle stroking along the waistband. Frank's breath hitched at the different sensation another person's hand offered. Gerard skidded his fingers down to find the stitching at the inside of Frank's thigh, closest to the center where he was getting so hard, desperate for real contact. If Gerard knew anything about men and sex, it was that there was only a certain amount of patience before the unfair ache settled in, and foreplay developed into a teasing game adding on an edge of desperation. He didn't mean to make Frank's patience wear thin. He'd never known a boy comfortable in racy underwear, wrapped up tightly in daring dresses crossing his look between masculine and feminine. Any person could clearly detect Frank's true gender upon a closer look, but there was an undeniable grace to his hips and his smooth legs. Gerard suddenly needed to see so much more.

"Can . . . can I see the back?" Gerard swallowed thickly, his cock twitching well on its way to full arousal.

Frank's eyes glistened smugly. One corner of his mouth lifted higher than the other as he propped himself up onto his elbows, his face looming close to Gerard's. "Like you even need to ask." He kissed him softly, his tongue flickering out against Gerard's lower lip.

Before Gerard could think of a response, Frank was moving back towards the pillow, and flipping his body over onto his front with the skirt still rucked up around his hips. He wrapped his arms around one of the pillows once his backside was exposed for Gerard's eyes to take in.

The underwear practically left Frank bare. His pale skin was smooth enough to instill a craving in Gerard to run his hands across the visible softness, never ending silkiness running all across his perfect body comfortable enough for any eyes to drink in the beauty Frank was aware he'd been gifted with. He remained still without tension bringing a rigid look to his wiry muscles, and his breathing was serene as it evenly flowed through his chest. Gerard admired the curve of his lower back dipping down into the swell of his ass, desirable enough for Gerard to shed his insecurities and run his fingertips down the valley of the inward curve of Frank's back to the contours of his spine just above his ass, running across the waistband of the thong to gently drag it downwards. He let go of it when Frank released the first sign of ragged breathing.

"You're alright with me touching you?" Gerard skimmed his hand along the thong at the sides, resisting the urge to slide it over his legs to fully expose Frank to his adoring eyes.

"I'm two seconds away from begging for it." Frank breathed through an airy laugh, sounding caught between jesting and being serious.

Gerard brushed his hands along the back of Frank's slightly parted thighs. Slowly going to straddle the back of his legs, Gerard settled there as lightly as possible, his palms hesitantly smoothing over his hips, then daring to venture to his ass where his feather light touch elicited the rising of goosebumps and a quick shiver to pass through Frank's body. He glanced up to see Frank's hands grasping his pillow so tightly his skin stretched white across his knuckles. He wanted more.

"You're beautiful." Gerard leaned down until his chest grazed Frank's back, hands holding his waist, and the tropical scent radiating from Frank's dark hair and warm skin assaulted his nostrils so sweetly, so he dragged his nose lightly along Frank's neck he discovered as sensitive from his short lived wriggle and gasp pouring from his lips. Gerard smiled softly at his reaction and resorted to planting a gentle kiss to the back of his neck. Frank whimpered, unconsciously pushing back against Gerard. His ass came in contact with Gerard's hips, grazing his cock, and the rush of tingles flourishing through his groin made Gerard moan softly into Frank's sweet skin.

"Gerard," Frank slurred, rubbing slowly against him again, "Gerard, undo my dress. Just undo the laces, please."

Gerard's fingers were almost useless once they began to tremble under the sensations of Frank rutting into his cock straining in his jeans, but he managed to reach for the laces holding the corset to Frank's dress together. He tugged mindlessly, his eyes hungrily lapping up the skin slowly being revealed as the clutches of he tight material released Frank's waist from its cinching confines. Frank began to pant, pressing his cheek into his pillow, grinding his cock down onto the mattress below for some relief.

Frank was free from the corset and the heat of his skin under Gerard's seeking palms enticed his lips to follow the same path. His mouth marked a trail of kisses moving along Frank's spine, his tongue occasionally peeking out to drag over his flesh, which made Frank whine softly each time it made an appearance. Gerard yanked the skirt of the dress higher up Frank's waist once he ventured low enough.

"Maybe we should take this off." Gerard thumbed the inner lining of the dress hanging from his body, opened and crooked.

"No. It's fine, just . . ." Frank looked over his shoulder, eyes darkened by lust. "God, I need you to do something to me right now or I'm gonna fucking come untouched if you don't stop teasing me."

Sparks danced through Gerard's lower body and ignited a flame traveling down to his hard cock. Gerard scrambled for Frank's dress, moving it away as best as he could from Frank's lower body, and his sloppy kisses running along his skin became rushed, open mouthed and hot enough to make Frank gasp as writhe. Gerard's hands smoothed over Frank's ass, gently kneading the cheeks to relish in the softness of his flesh he couldn't resist running his lips over, teeth lightly nipping at the flawless canvas. Frank cursed softly, his legs twitching apart.

"Do you have lube?" Gerard asked in a voice darker than he anticipated, roughened by lust, he supposed.

"Yes." Frank quickly answered. "In my lower desk drawer. I have condoms, too."

Gerard fumbled for the items he needed. He pondered for a few seconds over whether or not the condom was necessary. His dick demanded an easing touch to cease the pressure building up, but he didn't think he was ready to give everything away so quickly, no matter how his mouth watered to glance back and see Frank was lifting up onto his elbow, reaching underneath himself to roughly palm his cock. His back arched and a low moan shakily fluttered from him. His ass was practically presenting itself, and suddenly, Gerard made his decision.

He returned to the bed, tossing the lube onto the duvet. He pushed one hand onto Frank's lower back until he let out a little whine and flattened his chest onto the bed, his ass raised in the air. He was disheveled and eagerly awaiting for Gerard to have his way with him.

"Are you gonna fuck me?" Frank asked breathlessly, a wanton air surrounding his question making Gerard's insides churn with heat.

"In a way." Gerard ran his palms across Frank's ass. The neon pink striped along his pale skin was thin enough for him to guide it away from his target. Gerard parted Frank's cheeks and pulled the string of the thong away revealing his tight asshole to his seeking eyes. Gerard felt his lower body throb, and a helpless moan tumbled free.

"In a way?" Frank asked, puzzled. "I know you're artsy and like to appreciate things, but I could really use a good pounding, Gee."

"I wanna finger you." Gerard's lips ghosted across Frank's cheek, maneuvering dangerously close to where his pink hole was revealed to him.

"Oh," Frank squeaked. "Yeah. Fuck yeah, I'm down with that."

Gerard hummed quietly in response. His thumb teased along the rim of Frank's hole clenching in response to the light touch. He wished he could lay his tongue onto him, plunge it inside of him to make his thighs shake furiously as he unraveled from the intensity of Gerard's passionate mouth, but he wanted to take every step with Frank to fully appreciate his reactions to different types of stimulation.

Uncapping the lube, Gerard spilled some of the liquid onto his fingers. He brought the tube to Frank's hole, squirting a thin line of the cool gel across. Frank gasped from the coolness, but remained still if not for the beginning of a quake spreading through his legs.

"You seem like you've done this before." Frank swallowed loudly as Gerard spread the lube around his hole with his lubricated fingertips, pressing teasing down onto the rim to coax Frank into relaxing.

"I have." Gerard flushed lightly, thankful that it wasn't visible. "You didn't think I was a, uh, virgin, did you?"

"Not really a virgin," Frank gasped at the increase of pressure at his entrance. "But not exactly a person who knows how to take their time like this."

"Is it bad that I'm taking my time?" Gerard's first finger sank into Frank easier than he'd expected, but the tightness of Frank clenching around him enveloped his finger in heat, sucking him inside. Frank moaned deeply, pushing back onto Gerard's hand. 

"Not at all." Frank could barely speak. "No one appreciates me this much."

"That's going to change." Gerard slowly slide his finger out, then plunged it back inside as he laid his lips beside where his digit was enveloped by Frank's glistening asshole. Frank appeared shocked by the appearance of the kiss, but he welcomed it, making a noise high in his throat to show his appreciation.

Gerard took his time sinking his fingers into Frank one by one. He was tight, and yet, he welcomed Gerard's fingers as they steadily plunged inside of him, clenching down and stretching the more he eased his digits in and out in smooth motions making Frank moan into the pillow he shoved his face against. Gerard was fascinated watching his fingers disappear in and out of Frank, his pink asshole stretched and glistening surrounding his digits gradually increasing their pace once he felt Frank was adjusted enough to take more. Frank back would arch when Gerard dug in as deeply as he could, rubbing along the inside and seeking out the pleasure center he wanted to make Frank shatter with.

He knew he'd discovered it when he hooked his fingers a certain way and rubbed across a rough bundle of nerves inside, making Frank's body jolt heavily as a short cry tore from his lips. His thighs quaked from the sudden intensity and the desperation for more. Gerard moaned quietly in satisfaction and roughened his motions, making direct contact with Frank's prostate each time to draw more sultry noises from him, knowing they weren't staged as his ragged breathing was broken up by the interruption of moans shaking wildly the more they escaped.

"God, if your fingers feel this good, your cock is probably going to kill me." Frank shakily laughed, sucking in a desperate gasp at the end. He rocked his hips back onto Gerard's hand, matching the rhythm with ease.

"Next time." Gerard whispered. He placed a hot kiss on Frank's ass cheek, unable to stop himself from sinking his teeth into the soft flesh only roughly enough for Frank to hiss and groan.

"There will definitely be a next time." Frank keened out loud as Gerard picked up the pace, relishing in the slick sound and sight of his fingers rapidly sinking and out of him, pounding against his prostate to make his noises rise in volume to the point where he was forced to muffle them with his pillow.

"You're so pretty," Gerard reached around Frank's writhing body to cup his cock through his underwear being soaked by the spurts of precome leaking from the tip of his dick straining out from the top of the thong. He roughly palmed Frank until he wasn't satisfied enough. He tugged Frank's dick out from the underwear and wrapped a firm hand around it to begin stroking him off in time with his quick thrusts rising an ache out of his wrist. He wouldn't stop until Frank came.

"Fuck," Frank gasped out loudly, "If you keep going that fast, I'm going to come really fucking fast."

"I want you to." Gerard couldn't help flattening his tongue onto Frank's stretched rim the longer he admired the tightness inside, the flush of pink glazed over by the slickness of lube. Frank squealed, his body shaking. He traced his tongue along the outside, moving in and lightly dipping inside for a second.

"Holy shit," Frank helplessly rocked his body, chasing the multiple variations of stimulation pushing him onto the verge of collapsing into euphoria. "I'm so close."

"Pretty boy." Gerard affectionately drawled out in the midst of a moan and laid his body over Frank's back, leading his lips to the back of his neck. He hammered his fingers inside him, hooking them just right, fucking Frank roughly with his fingers until he was practically vibrating from how is entire body shivered and writhed.

"There," Frank cried, "It -- it's so good, right there."

"Here?" Gerard pounded into Frank's spot until he was collapsing, gasping for air.

"Yes, holy--" Frank went rigid. Gerard felt how he was clenching tight around him, how his muscles locked down as he supposed that coil of heat piling up in his body was set to explode. He kissed Frank's neck, gently taking his skin between his teeth to suckle and bite down to burst the blood vessels, rising an angry red mark tipping Frank over the edge. He was so sensitive that, as he came, he shuddered all across his body and set it off so it violently shook through his orgasm, come spurting hotly out from the tip of his cock to spray onto himself and the covers below him. He couldn't cry out, his voice was lost to him, he could only gasp and claw at the sheets, desperate to find something to cling to as he fell into bliss. He was beautiful coming undone.

Gerard slowly pumped his fingers in and out of Frank until he became too sensitive to handle it much longer. Gerard stared in fascination as Frank weakly slumped forward in a pool of his own come and struggled to catch his breath. He stroked Frank's sides soothingly after wiping his fingers on the covers. Kissing gently at his neck, he was aware of how much he needed to come, but he couldn't worry about it as he guided Frank through the remnants of his orgasm.

"You," Frank weakly moaned, "You have some sort of magic in your hands if you made me come that hard just by fingering me."

Gerard smiled, flattered by Frank's praise. He kissed Frank's shoulder, running a gentle hand across his thigh. "I might've picked up a few tricks during my first years here."

"That was so good." Frank struggled to flop onto his back, so Gerard moved to give Frank access, and Frank shakily lifted himself onto his elbows to tangle his hand into Gerard's hair. His pupils were blown wide and his lip was reddened from relentless biting, his hair disheveled as his dress hanging from his body. "If you don't mind, I'm going to choke on your dick now."

Gerard's eyes flew open. Before he could comprehend what was going on, he was being pinned onto his back and Frank slung his legs around either side of Gerard's hips. He wasn't given the chance to hold Frank's waist to steady him before he was descending down, undoing Gerard's pants so quickly that he wondered how it was humanly possible.

Gerard was so close that he knew it wouldn't take long to come undone by Frank's mouth. He stared down at Frank as his dick was tugged free and it sprung towards his stomach, bright red at the tip smeared with glistening precome he'd felt soaking through his boxers. Frank's eyes widened at the size Gerard was always conscious was a little larger than most were used to.

"I think I'm literally going to choke on this," Frank breathed, wrapping a hand around Gerard's cock and stroking it quickly. "You're so lucky I like it."

Gerard meant to inform Frank that he didn't need to take more than he was able to by forcing himself because he was already appreciative having the favor returned, but the only sound that came from his mouth was a garbled moan. Frank had licked a thick stripe up the side of Gerard's throbbing cock and immediately wrapped his lips around him, giving a harsh suck bringing white to Gerard's vision. His arms flopped uselessly beside him and he gaped at the ceiling, wondering how the hell it was possible for someone's mouth to feel so incredible.

Frank kept his lips tight around Gerard and his cheeks hollowed as he rapidly bobbed his head up and down, occasionally gagging whenever he took Gerard to the back of his throat, yet he never gave up on pleasuring him. His mouth was so hot, his tongue was working over Gerard in expert sweeps and he was embarrassed by how close he was to letting go. Gerard tangled his fingers into the longer section of Frank's hair, tugging whenever Frank took him in deeper. He couldn't take his entire cock into his mouth, but that didn't mean he wasn't delivering perhaps the best blowjob Gerard had ever received in his entire life. Frank fingers wrung around the parts he couldn't reach so Gerard was buzzing, his ears ringing the closer he got. Frank suddenly took Gerard as deeply as he could, his throat moving around him as he choked, and Gerard moaned louder than he'd intended. He did it again, three more times, sucking him hard and fast.

"Oh my god. Oh god." Gerard licked his dry lips. "I can't -- I can't hold on for much longer." His face burned cherry red.

Frank popped off of Gerard's cock with a loud sound. Strings of saliva connected the tip of his dick to Frank's swollen lips hanging open as he sucked in a wild gasp. Tears streaked down his face from the times he'd choked around him. His makeup was running and the hearts on his cheeks were smeared off. He stroked Gerard quickly with a tight fist and looked into Gerard's eyes, panting harshly.

"Come on my face." Frank urged him. "It's okay."

Gerard couldn't keep his eyes trained on Frank's wanton gaze when his eyelids became so heavy. They shut tightly and he tilted his head back, the pressure rising in him so high he could've drowned in it, until he felt Frank's tongue lapping at his tip, and all of it snapped into pieces inside of him. Gerard was coming heavily, and just he felt himself exploding, his opened his eyes in time to watch himself come all over Frank's tongue, spurting onto his cheeks, covering his face in his come the way he'd wanted him to. Frank's eyes were shut as he gasped loudly, stroking Gerard through his earth shattering orgasm until there wasn't a single drop left in him to land on Frank's flushed face.

Gerard hadn't realized he'd been holding his breath until everything started to gradually subside. He gasped and slammed his head back onto Frank's pillows, seeking to wade through the loud ringing in his ears making his vision swim. He slowly slipped his fingers away from Frank's hair and his arms dropped heavily at his sides.

"That . . . was fucking awesome." Frank said from between Gerard's legs.

Gerard looked down to find Frank dragging his thumb through a smear of come on his chin. He sucked his finger into his mouth and hummed as he wiped it clean his tongue. He looked mildly ridiculous with a face sprinkled in come, but there was something incredibly hot about it that made Gerard's softening cock twitch.

"I've never came on a person's face before." Gerard blinked down at Frank.

"Facials are fun." Frank smirked, shedding his dress as he went to stand up. He wobbled for a moment, grasping the bed post. He giggled up at Gerard, shaking his head. "I think you broke me and you haven't even technically fucked me yet."

"Do you really wanna hook up with me again?" Gerard squirmed and discreetly tucked himself back into his jeans, suddenly growing shy again even though Frank was entirely comfortable being almost naked in front of Gerard.

"Yeah, I don't see a reason why not. And I like your company." Frank dropped his thong so it pooled at his feet and kicked it towards the closet. He was entirely bare, and retrieving a folded towel from one of his drawers to wipe his face clean.

"Can I ask you something?" Gerard thought it was best to get his thoughts out of the way now that they'd taken a step further. He kept his eyes down, his fingers rubbing under his eyes and coming away black from the smeared shadow he'd forgotten was there.

"Ask away." Frank tugged the large hood he'd been wearing earlier over his head, contentedly shuffling into a more comfortable pair of underwear once it was on.

"Do you remember that night when you got really drunk and came to my dorm?" Gerard started off softly.

Frank paused to think. His eyes twinkled with recognition, his lips quirking up at the ends thoughtfully. "Sort of. I think I remember you telling me about that the day after."

"I did. But not -- I didn't tell you about all of it in case you didn't remember." Gerard slowly swung his legs over the side of the bed. "I didn't want to embarrass you."

Frank froze up. "Oh no. Did I say something stupid? I have such a big mouth when I'm drunk, I'm so sorry if I said something weird."

"It wasn't weird or stupid. Not to me." Gerard shook his head. "You . . . you told me you had a crush on me. Then you asked me if I liked you back, and I didn't give you an answer because I didn't want you to be drunk when I told you the truth."

Frank's wide eyes turned to Gerard. His cheeks blossomed with a rosy red color traveling down to his neck the longer they went without saying anything, and Gerard knew his face mirrored Frank's expression and color, his cheeks burned with the evidence.

"I . . . I don't remember that." Frank slapped his palms onto his cheeks. "I need to stop getting blackout drunk, I really fucking do."

"It's fine, Frank, I wasn't upset. That's not why I'm telling you this." Gerard bit his lip. "Actually, I was kind of hoping it was one of those things where a drunk man's words are his sober thoughts."

Frank's eyes softened. His hands slid away from his cheeks and hung limply at his sides. Gerard hoped it wasn't pity glistening in his hazel eyes or else he'd feel terribly stupid for tangling himself up in this situation.

"Well, Gerard," Frank twiddled his thumbs. "I thought it was kind of obvious."

Gerard's hands tightly dripped onto the duvet as his body froze up. "What?"

"I flirt with you all the time! We just hooked up!" Frank lifted his hands into the air. "I always make the first move, but I felt differently about you, so I was hoping you'd come to me first so I wouldn't give you the impression that all I wanted was a quick fuck."

"Wait," Gerard jumped to his feet. "So, you're telling me this entire time I thought you didn't make the first move because you didn't actually like me, you were actually waiting for me to do it?"

"Well, obviously, isn't that what I just told you?" Frank went scarlet and looked away. "I've been waiting for a long time. I dressed up all pretty for you today hoping you'd come to me and . . . it worked."

Gerard couldn't believe his stupidity. He imagined Frank's constant compliments and random visitations at strange hours in the night were only parts of a naturally flirtatious personality confusing Gerard's emotions. Now, he'd left Frank waiting the way Gerard was for as long as Frank was willing to admit, the both of them stood across from each other, bewildered by their mixed signals keeping them on edge for nothing.

"Jesus christ." Gerard stalked over to Frank whose eyes widened at his approach. He took Frank by his waist and gently shoved him against the wall, pinning him there and maintaining eye contact. "You could've been mine this entire time."

Frank stammered. "Yeah, I thought I was super unlucky the one time I got a real crush on someone."

"You're not unlucky. We're just stupid."

Frank nervously giggled high in his throat "I guess so." He fluttered his lashes as he slowly relaxed under Gerard, hesitantly sliding his arms around his neck. "Does that mean you can fuck me senseless and take me out on dates now?"

"You bet." He sealed their lips together in a hard kiss and didn't let go until their lips were swollen and aching, but their hearts were full, and Gerard wondered if that was only the start to something special.

**Author's Note:**

> "You were out of my league, got my heartbeat racing." - Fitz and the Tantrums


End file.
